Stump saw



K.- L wlxsoN 2,224,757

Dec. 10, 1940. I

sTuMP sAw t Filed April 28, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. vl0, 1940.

K. L. WIXSON sTUMP SAW Filed April 28, 1939 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 6C., 1.@9 i9. K L, WIXSQN 2,224,757

STUMP SAW Filed April 28, 1939 s sheets-sheet 5 Patented Dee. 1o, 1940 UNITED* STATES, P A'ralrr 'oi-Fica SW nppu; :22 lsaeismm I 4 Claims.

This invention relates to -improvements in stump saws; that is, to saws which arede'signed to make a substantially horizontal cut extremely clos to the surface ofl the ground, and parally cause a diversion of approaching and receding plows or other cultivating apparatus. .In

many cases it is desired to use tractors and gang plows and the upstanding stumps prevent. It, however, the stumps are cut oil level with the ground the tractor can pass thereover and an individual plow, or plows, of the gang can be raised when the stump is reached and obstruction to cultivation be largely minimized. Also where disc plows are used the discs ride over the stumps and cultivation'can be carried out with very little hindrance.

The primary object of the present device is to provide means for cutting off the stumps at the ground level with a maximum of efdciency and minimum of effort. y

A further .object is to make a device of this kind which can be readily moved into proximity to the work and which when so moved is ready for immediate use.

A further object is to make a device of this character in which the level oi the saw and consequent cut is manually controllable to take care of relative inequalities in the level oi the ground at the stump and the level or slope of the ground on which the mechanism is supported.

A further object is to make a device of this character ln which the movement of the saw into cutting position is also manually controllable and the ieecl of the saw in making the cut is likewise controllable and may be varied in ac cordance with the length oi the cutting arc, the hardness oi the material and other factors which may enter into the problem; and

A still further object is to provide means for disconnecting the power and concurrently check ing the saw streed as the cut is being completed, whereby small stumps particularly may not be picked up and thrown laterally with sometimes damaging results.

The means by which the foregoing' and other objects. are accomplished and the method oi their -accomplishxnent will readily be understood x'om the following speciiicationon reference to the ac'- companying drawings, i'n which: V

Fig. 1v is a perspectiveview ofthe device cutting a stump. y

Flg.,2 is a side elevation; and Fig. 3 a plan; j y Referring now to the drawings inl which the various parts are indicated by numerals:

I0, Il are the runners of a. sledfwhich runt i tending. horizontally outward from the opposite sides of the cradle 2|, which trunnions vform4 horizontal pivots for` brackets 24,. extending downward from channel shaped side frames l2li supporting the working mechanism, which trunnions and brackets provide for a see-saw movement of said frame and mechanisms'.

26 is a tubular housing which encloses a yshaft 2l, to the lower end oi which shaft a circular' saw 28 is securedin usual manner betweenfa shaft-carried collar 28, and a collar 30 and nut 3i. The housing 36 is securely clamped between, and to, the forwardends 25-LA of the frame as by bolts and nuts 32. The length of the housing 26 below the frame members 25 and correspondingly the distance of the saw v28 below these members is somewhat less than the. distance from the bottom of the 'frame tothe bottom of the sled, so that when the frame is in horizontal position the saw-is supported well above the level of the bottom of the sled; andthe axis of the shaft 21 and of the housing 26 are so inclined to the frame 25 that thel saw'when depressed substantially to the level of the bottom ci theA sled will be level. Above the frame, the vnousing 26 carries a gear housing "3i andl thereaboe an additional housing 34 carries the x'ed por; tion 35 of an internally expanding brake, such as is commonin automobiles.

38 is e. rotatable brake drum within which are -the usual brake shoes, which being well known and operatingin usual manner are not shown. This drum is connected to a hub 3l which is securely mounted on the upper endof th'e'shaft 21. Extending forwardly from the Vgearhousing 33 is an additional housing 38. the housing'parts and brake members above mentionedvhaving-in Mounted on the rear of the frame 2l is an internal combustion engine 5l, a typical automobile engine being indicated with the usual radiator 5I, fan 52 and clutch, il beingv the clutch housing and the clutch pedal lever, Il the transmission case and l! the gear shift lever. 51 is the gas tank and N a' support forthis tank which here hides the usual universal'ioint to whichthe torque tube Il and shaft Il lead usual and well known manner.

'I'he weight of the various parts of the mechanism are so distributed with reference to the trunnions 2l that the entire device is as nearly as possible balanced' over thesetrunnions.

60 is a lever adapted to operate the brake shoes against the drum Il; Il is a lever which Ais operatively connected bya link l2 with the clutch pedal lever I4 and by an extension l2 of this link to the brake lever il. M is the throttle lever. I

'Il is an arm or handle lever-secured to one of the frames 25, through which manual pressure is applied to raise or lower the-saw 2l, and

to swing the `saw into or out of cutting contact.

with the stumps.

In using the device a' team or tractor is hitched 40 to the chain l! and the sled drawn to position adjacent thestump which is to be cut, it being usual toso place the sled that the saw collar 29 may be swung past the stump when'the frame 28 is turned about the center pin 22.' With the transmission i5 in neutral, the engine is started in usual manner and when up to speed, the lever 6| is retracted, disconnecting the clutch, and incidentally setting the brake, and the transmission thrown into gear, any one of the gear com-` 60 binations obviously being usable but ordinarily high gear being that one selected. The arm 10 is then raised' and the saw lowered as close as is feasible or desirable to the ll'ound. and is moved laterally into cutting contact with the stump. Pressure is exerted laterally on the saw to advance the saw as rapidly as the power of the engine will permit and this pressure is continued until the cut is completed. If the stump be a small one a single cut will complete the job.

In such. case, as the cut is completed, the lever il is again pulled back disconnecting the clutch and at the same time inimm!!! the brake to stop rotation of the saw. Should this not be done the Y saw will often pick up the small stump and throw it with considerable force to one side,

often causing damage to the machinery or adiacent objects, or even endangering life and limb. Should astump, such as the stump shown-in Fig. 1, be of such size that it cannot be cut entirely through in one cut the sled must obviously be moved to an additionalV position, or posiy tions, and one or more additional cuts be made to finish the work. Obviously stumps are occasionally met with where no cut can reach the 75 center and such stumps obviously cannotfbe with the usual bevel pinion Il, secured .on the cleanly out on and would require additional treatment. This, however. is largely governed by the diameter of the saw and under the usual conditions seldom occurs.

In placing the device initially it is often possibleI to so place it that several stumps may be cut from one setting. In Fig. 3 the circular arc A indicating the path of the saw mandrel shows that it is possible to accomplish a rotary move ment about the center pivotv22 of about threeguarters of a full turn and it will be evident that stumps may be cut not only near the end of the sled but actually on diametrically opposite sides of the sled as well. In such case if the stumps are large' partial cuts arev made on all within reach before shift ismade.

I claim:

lfIn a stump saw a substantially horizontal and stable base adapted for shifting from place to place, a turntable mounted on and entirely 'entirely above said base,` pivotally mounted for 'see-saw movement .on said trun'nions and for complete turning movement with said cradle .about said base, bearing means in upright alinement carried by one end of said frame, a shaft ljournalled in said bearings, a circular saw secured on the lower end of said shaft, means -mounted on the opposite end of said frame for driving said shaft and for balancing the weight of said saw parts about said turntable and trunnions, means operably connecting said driving means and said saw, and manually controllable means connected to said frame whereby said saw may be shifted into cutting attack with stumps withinfthe cutting reach of said saw and from diametrieally opposite directions.l

2. In a stump saw, a substantially stable and lhorizontal base adapted for shifting from place to place, a turntable mounted on and entirely site end of said frame for driving said shaft, and

for balancing the weight of said saw parts about said turntable and pivotal mounting, means connectingsaid driving means and said saw, and handles connected to said frame whereby said tal. cutting attack with stumps within the cutting reach of said'saw. f

3. A stump saw including a housing, bearings in--substantlally upright alinement carried by saw maybe manually shifted from diametricalfly opposite directions into substantially horizonsaid housing, av shaft journalled-in said bearings,

a circular saw secured .on the lower end vof said shaft, said housing being horizontally shiftable to bring said saw into cutting engagement with said stump, complementary braking means carried by said housing and said shaft, means' for driving said shaft, means, including a clutch for effecting op'erable connection between said driving means and said shaft. and means manually Y wanted throwing operable for disconnecting said clutch and concurrently actuating said brake, whereby to check saw speed as a cutis completed and prevent unof a cut oi stump. 4. A stump saw including a base adapted for shifting from piace to mounted on said base for about an axis perpendicular to said base, a housingcarried by one end of said frame, bearing means in upright alinement carried by said housing, an upright` shaft journalled in said place, a frame turnably' pivotal movementy bearings, a circular saw secured on the lower end of said shaft, an engine mounted onv said frame for driving said shaft, complementary braking means carried by said housing and said shaft, means including a clutch for operably connecting said engine and shaft, and means manually operable for disconnecting said clutch and concurrently actuating check saw speed as a. cut is completed and prevent-unwanted throwing o! a cut of! stump.

v KENNETH L. WIXSON.

said brake', whereby to 

